For Africa’s mining sector, geography has always been both an advantage and a constraint. Vast mineral deposits lie far from seaports, separated by long distances, fragile infrastructure and, in many cases, unforgiving weather. In recent years, however, aviation has emerged as a critical solution, quietly reshaping how mining companies move people, parts and production-critical cargo across the continent.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Zambia’s Copperbelt and North-Western Province, where a growing network of regional passenger services and specialised air freight operations is underpinning mining output and investment.
Mining Drives Demand for Reliable Air Links
The Copperbelt remains one of Africa’s most important mining jurisdictions, with copper production playing a strategic role in global electrification and energy-transition supply chains. Yet the region’s distance from major ports and its reliance on road networks, often degraded or impassable during the rainy season, have historically posed logistical risks.
Air transport has increasingly filled this gap. Airlines serving mining regions are not simply providing convenience; they are delivering operational resilience.
“Each component coming into a mine directly affects output,” explains Matthew Larkins, airfreight manager at C. Steinweg Logistics. “Time is often of the essence.”
Strengthening Regional Connectivity: Johannesburg–Ndola
A clear signal of this growing demand came in February 2026, when Airlink announced an expansion of its Johannesburg–Ndola service. From late March, the airline will add a second flight three times a week to its existing daily operation, significantly increasing capacity and connectivity between South Africa’s primary aviation hub and Zambia’s industrial heartland.
The expanded schedule improves morning arrivals into Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport, allowing business travellers from Ndola to maximise productivity in Gauteng while accessing Airlink’s extensive domestic and regional network, as well as long-haul connections via partner airlines.
“Ndola is rapidly expanding as a major industrial, transport and logistics node for mining, manufacturing and trade in the sub-region,” says Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht. “Our expanded service enables customers to connect seamlessly through our hub to destinations across Southern Africa and beyond.”
For mining companies, this translates into faster decision-making, improved access to suppliers and specialists, and reduced downtime.
Domestic Aviation: Reaching the Mine Gate
Beyond international and regional routes, domestic air services have become indispensable to Zambia’s mining ecosystem. Proflight Zambia has positioned itself as a key player, operating high-frequency services using a mix of regional jets and turboprops to link Lusaka, Ndola, Solwezi and Kalumbila.
These routes serve the North-Western Province, where newer copper mines are located far from the main Copperbelt corridor. Solwezi and Kalumbila, though just 100 km apart by air, serve different mining catchments and logistical needs.
Solwezi Airport, with its upgraded runway capable of handling larger aircraft such as the Boeing 737, functions as the province’s primary aviation gateway. Kalumbila Airport, by contrast, is a smaller, mining-focused facility, primarily supporting scheduled domestic flights and charter operations.
The importance of these links cannot be overstated. Frequent, short-haul flights transport mining staff, technical specialists and, critically, small but high-value spare parts directly to operational areas.
During the rainy season, when roads can become impassable, aviation often provides the only reliable access.
Air Freight: From “Nice to Have” to Operational Necessity
While passenger services move people, it is air freight that increasingly keeps mines running.
In response to persistent supply-chain challenges, Dutch logistics firm C. Steinweg Logistics introduced a direct air freight service linking Nairobi and Ndola. Initially launched in 2021 and operationally expanded in early 2024 following the establishment of a Ndola base, the route has gained renewed traction as global supply chains remain volatile.
Previously, urgent cargo bound for the Copperbelt was typically flown into Lusaka, more than 300 km from most mine sites, before being trucked north. This added time, cost and exposure to theft and damage.
“The primary air freight route into the Copperbelt was via Lusaka, serviced by freighters operating weekly at around 100 tonnes capacity,” says Larkins. “If you missed that flight, delays of up to a week were common.”
By flying directly into Ndola, C. Steinweg’s Nairobi route cuts transit times dramatically, often from weeks to as little as four to seven days, while reducing handling and border delays.
The service currently operates twice weekly, with flexibility to increase frequency based on demand. Cargo ranges from machinery components and electronic systems to personal protective equipment and other time-critical supplies.
Control, Predictability and Cost Justification
Although air freight remains more expensive than road or sea transport, mining economics often justify the premium.
“When you weigh air-freight costs against production downtime caused by missing equipment or spares, the cost becomes insignificant,” Larkins notes. “The main concern is time.”
Air freight also offers greater predictability. By bypassing congested border posts and poor road infrastructure, operators gain tighter control over delivery schedules—particularly important for fragile, high-value or limited-handling cargo.
Customs clearance is often faster at well-established airport hubs, further reducing overall lead times.
Aviation’s Role in a Multimodal Future
Importantly, aviation is not replacing other transport modes but complementing them. The mining industry continues to support large-scale infrastructure projects such as the Lobito Corridor rail-and-port development, aimed at moving bulk exports more efficiently to the Atlantic.
Air transport, however, occupies a distinct and growing niche: urgent logistics, executive mobility, technical expertise and operational continuity.
As Africa’s mining sector expands to meet global demand for copper and other strategic minerals, airlines serving remote and resource-rich regions are becoming strategic partners rather than simple service providers.
In the skies above the Copperbelt and beyond, aviation is no longer just connecting cities, it is keeping mines running.
